Don’t waste time and money trying to sell to people who aren’t there to get the message! It’s about time to clean up that database and get the most out of your marketing budget, as sending emails and making calls to those who aren’t interested in your products and services can be wasteful.
Here are some tips on how to clean up that marketing database.
Today, we can convey a message to a potential customer with just an email or fax number. We don’t even need a name, although it’s preferable since it’s impossible to personalize the message if we don’t have one. Really, what is the minimum information we need to market to someone? Consider ways to get your customers to “subscribe” by providing their email address for some kind of free service, such as product updates, webinars, or a free consultation. An email address is a great personal link to your customers, and this form of communication is relatively inexpensive compared to print campaigns.
Do you have direct mail campaigns using the US Post as part of your marketing programs? If this list is current and meets postal standards, this could qualify you for significant discounts on postage.
Visit the USPS site at: usps.gov for more information on cleaning up your database records.
Search the internet for keywords, including US Post acronyms like ‘NCOA’ and ‘CASS’.
Ask for fax and phone numbers, email addresses, and other contact information for the same organizations discovered during your Internet search.
Some magazines publish direct marketing lists, and often these lists are available for purchase. Others are available for free on the back of a publication or on the publisher’s website.
Do your marketing programs need additional demographic information?
Dun & Bradstreet could be a valuable source to consult: dnb.com.
Another is InfoUSA: infousa.com.
Also talk to the staff of the trade publications in which you place ads; In most cases, advertisers are entitled to some type of database service.
Another great way to get information: ask directly! Use the phone, fax machine, and email to request information about updates to your records. However, if you expect a good number of responses, your query should present a good answer to the question “what’s in it for me?” People value your contact information and won’t just give it away for free. But, by collecting this information with the person’s consent, you could be starting a profitable business relationship with them.
Ultimately, the best way to keep a marketing list clean and up to date is through frequent use. Every time you communicate with your contacts, in any method, you have the opportunity to ask a new question, collect updated addresses, and hear from those who have transitioned to a new role or moved to another company.
When sending an email, ask the audience to contact you if information updates are needed. Every phone call is an opportunity to confirm information on file. By using these methods in your direct marketing efforts, you should be able to focus on your customers and convert more leads into sales.
